Fort Bend Theatre raises money to prevent closure

Published 3:10 pm, Monday, December 19, 2016

The cast of "Madeline's Christmas" wishes everyone a Happy New Year in the Fort Bend Theatre production which was staged in November and December in Stafford.

The cast of "Madeline's Christmas" wishes everyone a Happy New Year in the Fort Bend Theatre production which was staged in November and December in Stafford.

Photo: Fort Bend Theatre

Fort Bend Theatre raises money to prevent closure

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Tarra McCain, Executive Artistic Director of Fort Bend County Theatre, wound up working at the nonprofit community theater company by accident. Her son tried out for the theater's production of Velveteen Rabbit. McCain, who has a college degree in theater, helped out. Her son decided it wasn't for him. But, 15 years later, McCain is still working at Fort Bend Theatre. And she is fighting to it going, despite budget problems that may result in its closure by the end of the month.

Fort Bend Theatre, located off of U.S. 90 Alt in Stafford, has a modest appearance. The 5,000 square-foot building that hosts most of the company's children and adult shows can seat an audience of 100.

But it's come a long way. When Fort Bend Theatre moved in, the building was being used a warehouse. Just two years ago, McCain renovated the space for the second time, swapping 1990s green linoleum and gold and brown seats that had originally been used in the Missouri City court house for its current dark flooring and carpeting and black chairs, that give it the vibe of a blackbox theater.

"I love it, because if you go to New York, and you go to off-Broadway, this is exactly what you see," McCain said. "It's some little brick theater with layers of paints on the walls."

On a Wednesday earlier this month, the theater was prepped for a performance of "Madeleine's Christmas." The brick wall at the back of the stage was painted pink, with a window showing the Eiffel Tower. Twelve coats and 12 hats hung on hooks.

The theater - which started in 1989 in Sugar Land - has become a community gathering place, said Sugar Land resident Jenny Miertschin, whose children perform in its shows. Striving to be inclusive, McCain keeps participation in children's plays free. Most of the theater's operating budget comes from ticket sales and its youth theater classes.

That's allowed Miertschin's 13-year-old daughter, Lola, to perform in over half a dozen shows over the past three years. It has defined her social circle and given her, and her peers, a new goal: to make it to Broadway.

"She's arrived," Miertschin remembered thinking, upon seeing her daughter on stage the first time. "This is where she's supposed to be."

Until recently, Fort Bend Theatre's annual operating budget was about $225,000. Last year, it was down by $100,000. McCain hasn't calculated how much the theater brought in during 2016, but it will likely be even less, she said.

Renovations to the Stafford facility and electrical damages after floods last spring took a toll on the theater's savings. This year, the theater also had to cancel its annual performance at the Stafford Centre, which typically generates a substantial amount of revenue. Now, McCain is trying to raise $48,000, which would cover a year's worth of rent.

Now, McCain is the only full-time employee. Typically, there is a handful of part-time employees working with her, including an office manager, education director and a handful of people who rotate working in the box office. McCain recruits Houston-area directors and musicians for specific shows. Teens help out with sound and lights. And parents help with the sets and costumes.

"It is a tremendous amount of work involved in staging a new production, and it's always packed with parents who want to help," Miertschin said. "And it's a way to meet people."

If McCain can't by raise the money she needs by Dec. 23, the theater will likely have to close, McCain said. Neither McCain nor Miertschin have thought about what they would do if that happens.

"I know we've made a difference in young people's lives," McCain said. "We're really hoping everything is going to work out."